I Can't Believe They Did That!

I went by the Comic Shop today after I made a visit to the hospital.  It helped when I got home to go to the other worlds of my comics and let go of worry for a former youth and his family.  What shocked me was a big spoiler topic in the War of the Green Lanterns.  I am going to try and match up the background of my blog to allow me to comment and those that want to read to highlight it.  Let me just tell you that this thing I am talking about will have long reaching consequences for the Green Lantern Corps for years to come.  Expect a War Report before HeroesCon.  If possible I am going to try and post during the Convention.  So maybe you will get some up to date pics and comments.

BDS

Flashback Friday: Rann-Thanagar Holy War, Tradepaperback volumes 1 & 2

I had trouble sleeping last night and grabbed these two books from the shelf.  I had read Mystery in Space about the newly reborn Captain Comet and The Weird.  It was really cool, so when I saw these at the used bookstore I grabbed them.  Many cosmic characters involved in this story.  One of the pluses is that while mired in DCU history, one does not get lost in the story.  What will lose you is the few pages in the first volume that are placed wrong.  Not sure if it is just my issues or if this was a trade collected problem.  I figured it out and many astute readers should as well.


One thing that this story does is draw the Lady Styxx character and the religious group from Mystery in Space into direct conflict.  Both the Rannians and the Thanagrians have adopted the religions.  Thanagarians are being duped by the Eternal Light Corporation Church for nefarious means and the Rannians follow Lady Styxx because of the remnants of her virus that made them follow her.  They have a rose colored glasses view of this monster that kills and eats her followers.


Seeing Bizarro was a neat surprise.  Away from Superman it provided a different perspective on the weird copy of the Man of Steel.  All the various characters are well represented.  The roll call is Starman, Tigor, Tyrone, Comet, The Weird, Starfire, Animal Man, Adam Strange, and Hawkman.  This mixes some interesting personalities to play with as the tale progresses.  Bad things happen.  Worlds are decimated and genocide occurs.  All the while a cosmic entity struggles to see a plan to fruition.


The Nameless or Demiurge is a complicated character filled with pseudo-theology and mythology while wrapped in time paradoxes.  Make your head hurt yet?  Like Miles O'Brien always said, "I hate temporal mechanics."  Just go with the flow in volume two when the time flux stuff kicks in.  The action makes it worth it.  All the battle and sacrifice makes for a new status quo in the end and a place where some future DC writer can play with some characters in new and exciting ways.


A good read all around.


BDS

Red Riding Hood

I bought this book on a whim at SAM's Club.  It is a novelization of the Movie that came out some months ago.  I thought it would be a cool read.  Usually these books are better than the movies anyway right?  The book apparently came from a desire to expand what the characters were like and the ability to tell more than the movie could.  That bit at the start was wonderful.

So I begin and realize as well that this is aimed to a younger crowd.  I read it wondering how that might translate.  I think it straddles a line.  There is some suggested sexual bits and a bit of graphic imagery.  Still, Older Teens watch worse on cable and satellite TV.  There is a Blog post one day.  The hypocrisy of parents that spout offense at certain books and movies, yet take their kids and drop them off at the theatre to watch the movie.

It is a very captivating read.  The young woman that wrote the book draws you in and does an excellent job.  I was really loving the story and my mind was working to solve the mysteries of the tale.  I was right on the cusp of being satisfied when disappointment set in.  Apparently this is just a set up for the movie.  I assume I must watch the movie to finish this story.

That stinks.  It is not what I expected.  So I warn you that there is no closure if you get this novel.  If you have seen the movie, then I would say you do not need the book.  It would not be something that I can see adding anything to your knowledge.  Now the ending does not direct you to the movie, but it is implied to those that are smart enough to read between the lines.

BDS

Busy days

I am in the midst of so much right now and preparing for vacation weekend at HeroesCon.  That is my excuse.  Really I just have a lack of new stuff and life issues.  Rambling excuse that just hopefully is OK with those that are following my simple little Blog.

Bad news came Monday as well.  A former Youth of mine had a bad fall off a skateboard.  He is in ICU and it is not good.  There is hope, but still, it is a bad situation.  He has two cousins that were also part of that youth group so I have a heavy heart right now.  I hurt for all I could not do as I left them and that ministry.  I hurt because I can't do anything to make it alright now.  i spent about an hour yesterday with the grandmother before going to the hospital yesterday.

He is in the same ICU my mother was in.  I was able to endure the bad memories that will be ten years past a week from Saturday.  It just has been a sad time.  people wonder why I wish there were superheroes in this world, this is the times I would love to have the power to heal.  I have to hope and pray that God has given that power to the doctors and nurses taking care of this young man.

BDS

Mantra decision

Issue #9 was the last scanned cover I had done and frankly I had reread my issues I have and they are scattered across the house, so I did not get a Mantra Monday post up.  Since then I have thought about the next issues.  I do not have Issue #10, there is a crossover connected to the in-between of Issues # 11 & 12.  HeroesCon is in a few weeks and I might find the missing issues there and be able to better do my Mantra Mondays postings.  So for now I will delay those until after HeroesCon.  

Some of you are probably glad.  I get few comments and I understand that aspect as I seem to do less commenting sometimes.  So I figure no complaints is better than an outcry of WHY?!?  I have always wanted to have a website that gives views and the covers of every comicbook.  I know every comicbook is impossible, but I had to start somewhere.  When reviewing this desire was a reason I thought reviews of books a few weeks old was still OK.  there was a constant struggle over this issue.  Just imagine how awesome it would be for a person to search and find comments about a run of certain books.  It is a missing outlook online.  Everything is spaced and scattered in many ways.  So since I have restarted my Blogging I will continue to do these collections.  I have runs of some Marvel books and will be working through them as well as continuing Mantra.

Babbled enough I guess.  I hope you all are well and having some great reads out there in comicbook world.  War of the Green Lanterns is outstanding.  Batgirl is still one of the best reads in my opinion.  Some of the visitors here have a great interest in Power Girl as it is the all time post view winner right now.  Go figure?  

BDS

Flashback Friday: Green Lantern Secret Origin

I have been wanting to write about this storyline for some time now.  Two factors have pushed the write up to a quicker time before the movie.  A friend of mine had purchased the Trade of this seven part story.  It runs through the single issues of GREEN LANTERN #29 - #35.  He mentioned that he had read many comments online that had him worried he would not find the book accessible.  He felt the opposite after reading the trade and is now looking forward to the movie and reading more GL books.  So, I feel I should write a positive aspect of the title since there is much out there negative.

The other factor is that my Pastor's son has been borrowing trades and things from me and I feel this is something he should read in advance to the Movie.  I want to get this written and hand the single issues I have over for him to read about Green Lantern and get to read some Geoff Johns.  Can you believe he thinks Bendis is a good writer?  Go figure.  So , I need to get a great writer in his hands.  He has GL:  REBIRTH right now.

Have you noticed that images of this Trade have changed?  It appears that now this book is adorned with the image of Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern.  That is great.  This story is a good way for people to get to know the GL Universe before we have the big screen arrival.  I feel that Geoff Johns has written a great look at the Origin and the complex relationship with Sinestro.  The Thor movie reminds us that the hero can only be as good as the villains around them.  This trade has Black Hand and Hector Hammond.  Hammond is the shown villain of the movie.

When it came out as singles we all really just focus on what this book meant for the BLACKEST NIGHT story.  That was what we were building towards.  What we missed is that we had the blueprint for the movie.  Look at the GL trailers, they are filled with themes of this story.  We get to know Carol Ferris and her long association with Hal Jordan.  We see the defining moment of a young Hal Jordan's life.  From his brash attitude to becoming a Lantern, Hal is shown with all his faults and strengths.  We even see a Green Lantern overcome yellow years before we would learn what that weakness meant.

So, if you are looking for a glimpse of Green Lantern history, then this is the Trade Paperback you should read.  Missed some issues of GL, read this story.  This is a great story that introduces many characters that are current in the wonderful Geoff Johns run of this title.

BDS

Blogger was down

I was planning on doing a Flashback Friday last night and Blogger was down for maintenance.  I tried this morning and same thing.  So now I hope to get something later today.  Have a funeral to attend right now so I will be delayed.  Hope all are doing well and looking forward to a Summer full of Conventions and hopefully discount long boxes.

BDS